Thank you Kim, you just made Bush's job easier.
Thank you Kim Jong Il, you just made Bush's job easier. You just upped the ante, big time. We see your threat now.
Let me tell you, under the Reagan Administration, the Star Wars program died a slow, horrible death. The missile shield ("Star Wars") was a provocative act against the Soviet threat. America's desire to shoot down missiles while in flight was going to be the end of the world as we knew it. Reagan was escalating the Cold War to unprecedented levels. Probably going to start WWIII with those provocative ideas about missiles shooting down missiles.
So when GWB resurrected the idea, and even went so far as to repeal the ABM (Anti-Ballistic Missile) treaty with Russia, the uproar was fast and furious. My goodness, we're all going to die. Bush is preparing himself for, at best, a dead Soviet threat, and at worst, no threat at all. We were throwing our money down the toilet, to enrich defense contractors and otherwise break the piggy bank of the American economy.
Today, Kim Jong Il totally justified the missile shield. North Korea became our missile threat. Kim Jong Il gave us an enemy, one with nuclear weapons and the delivery systems to take those nukes anywhere.
From all appearances, this missile test was a joke. Acording to the Independent (UK), North Korea "had launched up to six test missiles and that all had come down in the Sea of Japan. Four of the missiles were shorter-range Scud-type weapons but officials said that two of them were apparently a long-range Taepodong-2 model. One of these missiles - with a potential estimated range of 3,500 miles - reportedly failed less than 40 seconds after being launched."
Lauaghable, you say... But you know what? This one went down in the Sea of Japan... does it have to land in downtown LA for us to feel threatened?
Don't get complacent and don't you dare think this is a one-off. This missile technology is a threat to America. And I'll tell you why:
1) This was a test. A learning exercise. Next time, the missile will go farther, carry more, and have better guidance systems. Chances are, this next one will land much much closer to America, if that's where they're aiming. Which takes us to #2.
2) They are aiming for America. The United States is the great imperial devil for North Korea. They would have "reunified" the Korean peninsula decades ago if it weren't for all those pesky American troops in South Korea. We have engaged international sanctions against them. We track their money and confiscate their funds wherever we find it. America has been standing in the way of their Communist workers' paradise for ages now, and they want us out.
So mull that over next time you hear about appropriations for a missile shield. Don't complain -- remember our enemies want longer, faster, stronger... that's what the North Koreans desire in a missile. And they're not going to stop till they get it.
Are we prepared?